Wendell Scott to Become 1st African American Inducted Into NASCAR Hall of Fame

Racing pioneer Wendell Scott’s name will now be listed where it rightfully should be – along with Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and Junior Johnson in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

NASCAR announced today the inductees who will comprise the 2015 class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The five-person group — the sixth in NASCAR Hall of Fame history — consists of Bill Elliott, Fred Lorenzen, Wendell Scott, Joe Weatherly and Rex White. In addition, NASCAR announced that Anne B. France won the inaugural Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR. Next year’s Induction Day is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 30, 2015, broadcast on NBC Sports Network from Charlotte, North Carolina

Scott, who was the first African American to win a NASCAR National Series race and won dozens more races during his nine years at the regional levels, was a fierce driver, skilled mechanic and hard worker, who looked past the racial prejudice that was widespread during the 1950s and 1960s and pursued his love for racing. He helped pave the way for current NASCAR national series drivers Darrell Wallace Jr., Kyle Larson and other diversity drivers to have careers in the sport.